Is there non-anecdotal evidence that prayer works?

Question

Statistical? Studied effects?

Answer 1

Why do u think thousands of people pray everyday ?

Do u think they are fool or
Are in a way habitual to waste there time without any gain from the worship or prayers they do ?

I think I have answer ur Question !

As Far as Statistic r concerned...........

Start Observing or asking people around u and
I bet the no. of people praying will be greater than the one who didn't.

Following a good habit or reciting a phrase which as good meaning,
Do help people Psychologically?

You can say Psychological healing is 100% there ?

Answer 2

There were some studies done that showed that prayer works. However, they were not blind studies, so the people were either praying themselves, or knew that they were being prayed for.

Subsequent blind studies have found that prayer has no effect on patient outcome.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3193902.stm

Other studies have shown that you can get as good a reaction as prayer from placebos and meditation.

So prayer helps:
Because the people believe it does (Placebo effect)
Because it put people into a relaxed state (Meditation without the invocation of a god has exactly the same effect)

Answer 3

No, the only scientifically controlled study showed the opposite. The heart surgery patients who knew they were prayed for fared worse. They think that knowing people were worried or praying made them more anxious. The group that didn't know they were prayed for had no statistical difference from the one not prayed for.

There have been anecdotal findings that some individuals subjectively feel better when they pray themselves, a psychological effect. Also, some biometric studies that show people lowering heart rates or blood pressure through prayer. Same results can be achieved with nonreligious meditation though.

Answer 4

When you witness a person who was born deaf and dumb start to hear and talk after prayers, when you witness a leg that was deformed by polio become normal after prayers and when you witness a student from the school for the blind in Zaria in Nigeria whose eyes were restored after prayers, then you will understand that prayers has something more than a placebo effect. Only those who dogmatically doubt the existence of God will doubt the efficacy of prayers.

Answer 5

Yes. Though I can't actually cite the study, there have been some made that faith and prayer help people heal better. Now they don't say it's answers to prayers, but more the attitude the prayerful person has.

Answer 6

For those who believe, faith alone is sufficient.. for those who don't, no evidence will ever be acceptable.. no matter what is said here, no matter how many "votes" for what, the true answer lies in the individual. I have known supposed atheists who cried "help me God" just before they died and I have seen devout Christians/Catholics/Muslims/Hindus etc curse the name of their specific God for one reason or another.. I personally am more interested with the intention of the prayer.. for self serving reasons (winning the lotto, getting away with something, casino gambling, good grades etc) the prayers seem less sincere..full of promises without the intention of fulfillment if the request was ever granted.. for less selfish intentions, I find myself wishing that it does come true for that person... Did it? Only that person knows for sure.

Answer 7

Depends what work you intend it to do. I'm sure someone could come up with some evidence that prayer relaxes the person praying, or helps them collect their thoughts. Much like talking to a real person. But if you want something supernatural then of course no such evidence exists.

Answer 8

I have been reading about a study that claimed to find that prayer worked, but it has been discredited, and some people in charge have been charged with fraud. If there was any real evidence of such a thing, it would be known. Believers are not above distorting things to try to support said beliefs. Indeed , one finds many frauds and liars among hem.

Answer 9

"Non-anecdotal evidence" would mean that you could not collect the evidence by finding out from people whether or not they have examples of prayer working. Without that, it would be impossible to collect data on whether or not prayer works.

So no, it would be impossible to have evidence that pryaer does or does not work without looking at examples of it. Nor could you compile statistics or study its effects without it.

Answer 10

I think prayer has the capacity to physically change things, such as in the case of miracles, spontaneous healings, etc. However I think the central meaning of prayer is to alter not God (whom is unalterable, unchangeable) nor even the world, but to alter us, to change us, to become as is said "new creations." Look to science if you will and you may find actual documented cases of healings and the like (they have indeed occured and still do, its factual). But the true value I think, should be found in the hearts of those whom are working to be Christlike. As C.S. Lewis said: "Prayer doesn't change God, it changes me."

"Can we believe that God ever really modifies His action in response to the suggestions of men? For infinite wisdom does not need telling what is best, and infinite goodness needs no urging to do it. But neither does God need any of those things that are done by finite agents, whether living or inanimate.

He could, if He chose, repair our bodies miraculously without food; or give us food without the aid of farmers, bakers, and butchers, or knowledge without the aid of learned men; or convert the heathen without missionaries. Instead, He allows soils and weather and animals and the muscles, minds, and wills of men to cooperate in the execution of His will.

It is not really stranger, nor less strange, that my prayers should affect the course of events than that my other actions should do so. They have not advised or changed God's mind -- that is, His overall purpose. But that purpose will be realized in different ways according to the actions, including the prayers, of His creatures." -C.S. Lewis, The Efficacy of Prayer.